Happy New Year!
Over the holidays, I managed to put together a Lion Rampant2 game featuring most of my vintage Viking and Anglo-Saxon figures. The players would be my son Justin and my grandson Ian (age 13). Justin had played once before, but Ian had not, although both have played Rebels and Patriots, a game system that uses similar mechanisms. I filled the role of scene designer and game master.
Historical Background
Sweyn Forkbeard (Old Norse: Sveinn Haraldsson tjúguskegg [ˈswɛinː ˈhɑrˌɑldsˌson ˈtjuːɣoˌskeɡː];[3]Danish: Svend Tveskæg; 17 April 963[1] – 3 February 1014) was King of Denmark from 986 until his death, King of England for five weeks from December 1013 until his death, and King of Norway from 999/1000 until 1013/14. He was the father of King Harald II of Denmark, King Cnut the Great, and Queen Estrid Svendsdatter.[2]
In the mid-980s, Sweyn revolted against his father, Harald Bluetooth, and seized the throne. Harald was driven into exile and died shortly afterwards in November 986 or 987.[4] In 1000, with the allegiance of Eric, Earl of Lade, Sweyn ruled most of Norway. In 1013, shortly before his death, he became the first Danish king of the English after a long effort.
The "Chronicle of John of Wallingford" (c. 1225–1250) records Sweyn's involvement in raids against Englandduring 1002–1005, 1006–1007 and 1009–1012. According to Ashley (1998), Sweyn's invasion was partly motivated by the St. Brice's Day Massacre in November 1002, where Danes in England were massacred under orders from Æthelred the Unready, in which Sweyn's sister and brother-in-law are said to have been killed,[16] but Lund (2001) argues that the main motivation for the raids was more likely the prospect of revenue.[12]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweyn_Forkbeard
Scenario
Viking raiding parties are attacking up and down the English coast. Some of the parties are pentrating well inland, buring and looting at every opportunity. One raiding force under Erik Forkbeard, a very young son of Swein divided his force into two parties to obtain even more revenue.
Their raid has been successful. The two parties are attmepting to reunite and get back to their ships before the Select and General Fyrd can catch up to them..
To the Vkings surprise the Midlands Select Fyrd has managed to block their path. The General Fyrd has not yet made an appearance but cannot be far behind. Erik's forces are still divided by close by. Erik's objective is to get past the Anglo\Saxons with the loot with a little more than half his force, but more if possible.
The Anglo\Saxons are led by Byrnoth the Bold.Byrnoth's goal is to make the Viking Raiders pay a heavy price and recapture as much of the loot as possible.
The Forces
The Vikings
Erik is the leader and has the Agressive trait as does the other Viking leader with the second unit of Huscarls. The trait enables one unit to activate automatically per turn. Ian used this ability to great effect.
OB
2 Units of Huscarls
1 Unit of Berserks (They have the Fearsome upgrade.)
3 Units of HvInf, one of which is "expert."
1 unit of skirmishers.
7 units total
Reinforcements from the above were one unit of Huscarls, the Berserkers and one HvInf (Turn 4)
The Anglo\Saxons
3 units of Select Fyrd (Thegns) two of which are expert.
3 units of General Fyrd, all have the javelin upgrade.
2 units of skirmishers
8 units total
The reinforcements from the above were the three units of General Fyrd and one unit of skirmishers (Turn 5)
The Game
Ian knew where his reinforcements would come in, mainly on the Anglo-Saxon left. Justin knew generally where they could come on and where his General Fyrd would come on.
Ian tried to pin in place the Anglo-Saxon units on his left and center while drifting to his right to reach the area where the reinforcements would arrive.
Since Justin was unaware of exactly where the flank attack would come from, he concentrated his initial force in the center and on his right flank. Ian's initial set-up favored his flank attack, so Justin was isolated from it.
Justin attacked from his center with his two best Select Fyrd units agains Ian's "expert" HvInf.The HvInf managed to inflict more losses than received and did batter the two units while getting battered itself. This initial melee would have consequences later on. The Viking unit never did rally and eventually routed, while the two Anglo-Saxon units did rally, but their losses weakened them.
From there, Ian continued to work toward his left, trying to use an impassable marsh as a block to Angle\Saxon reinforcements. Justin's skirmish unit on his right proved annoying to the Viking HvInf unit on Ian's left. In a surprise move, rather than take the missile fire, Ian attacked. The skirmishers evaded and for a brief time the Vikings had a unit in the middle of the Anglo\Saxon line that they had to deal with. The Viking unit would die but not before inflicting further damage and preventing Anglo\Saxon units from drifting to the open flank.
Once the Viking reinforcements appeared, Ian's plan became obvious, and it became a question of what Justin could do about it. Given the nature of the terrain, Justin fell back to a small hill, waiting for his reinforcements. Sadly, most of them appeared too far from the center to be of much help.
Meanwhile, Ian attacked the units on and near the hill, where one of Justin's Select Fyrd units made a heroic stand against three assaults that included Huscarls, HvInf, and the Bererkers. Although they died to the last man, they bought time for some of General Fyrd to come up and block the path of the Viking units seeking to exit the board.
At this point it looked like Ian would exit with 4 units for the win. One further courage check howerver resulted in one of the damaged Huscarl units to rout. This bascially left one Viking HvInf to fight their way through and the damaged Berswrker unit to do the same.
The Berserkers broke a General Fyrd shield wall and damaged them beyond repair, routing them, thus enabling the Berserks to exit.
The Viking HveInf unit fought its way up the hill against another General Fyrd unit pushing it back nearly to the edge of the board. By this time the Viking unit was effectively surrounded and had one turn left to bash it's way through. A failed courage test would give the victory to the Anglo\Saxons.
The HvInf unit prevailed and left the board giving the Vikings the victory for exiting with four units.
The Vikings lost three units and the Anglo-Saxons four. Both players played a good gentleman-like game.
Pictures
The pictures do not truly chronicle the action but rather give a general idea and show off my mostly vintage metal 25mm figures. The collection includes Ral Partha, Garrison and Minifigs as well as a few unknowns that I picked up somewhere.
There are quite a few Old Glory figures as well especially among the Vikings.
The table size is 4' by 4' and the point value for each side was 34.
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| The two units with banners are the expert Select Fyrd. The third is on the far left next to the skirmish unit. |
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| One of the expert Select Fyrd units (mostly Garrison) |
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| One of the Viking Huscarl units (Old Glory) and one of the HvInf units (mostly Garrison) The command figure is Gripping Beast's Harald Hardraada figure. |
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| My grandson Ian trying to out think his dad. |
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| The two Select Fyrd units after fighting the HvInf unit.The percent dice just mark losses, The small red die means battered. |
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| The Vikings seek to turn the flank and exit. The skirmisher unit would prove to be annoying and the first Viking unit to get off the board. The skirmishers are Minifigs. |
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| The Anglo\Saxon skirmishers would provoke the Viking HvInf to attack. A risky move on Ian's part but it proved effective. |
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| The two Select Fyrd units would pull back around the little hill. The Huscarls would get into the woods and help to turn the flank. They routed on the second to last turn. |
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| This actually occurred early on. The Select Fyrd is desited to die heroically on the little hill but not before forcing the Vking unit that is battered to never rally. |
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| The Vikings need to get past the General Fyrd unit in shield wall. By this point anyone could win but the Fyrd unit is definitely outclassed. Eventually the berserker unit would break the shield wall scattering the Fyrd. The Fyrd unit is a composite of Minifigs and Garrison. |
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| The other Huscarl unit that would exit the board. The figs are Old Glory and I think the command figure is an old Revenge figure but I'm not certain. |
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| The General Fyrd is struggling to get into position while the Select Fyrd unit shields them for the time being.The other Select Fyrd unit with the green banner will not rally and will leave the board. |
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| The heroic last stand of the Select Fyrd unit. It would take three Viking units to destroy it. |
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| The Beserkers failed to dirve the Select Fyrd off the hill suffering two losses in the process. They would survive. |
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| The Huscarl unit would rout after the Fyrd unit showers them with javelins. It was the Viking low point in the game after many successes. |
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| The Viking HvInf unit that wuld save the day. The skirmishers did not stand a chance. |
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| Minifig Select Fyrd or Thegns. |
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| Garrison General Fyrd. I've always loved the Garrison sculpts. They are missed, and they are rare on eBay in the States. British postage is brutal. |
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| Ral Partha and Minifig Vikings. A couple of the Minifigs are Run and one in the back row is first generation (and a lot smaller). |
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| Old Glory Vikings used as Huscarls or Elite Infantry in LR2 |
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| My Minifig berserkers. |
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| Ral Partha.Minifig, and Garrison Select Fyrd. |
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| My late Anglo\Saxons prior to becomming the Anglo\Danes of Hastings fame. I have two units of AnglDane Huscarls for Hastings, post Canute the Great. |
| Vikings victorious! |
